So Nice To Have Found You!

[DebbieL]

I have never owned any type of reptile but am now the new owner of a leopard gecko. I have read everything I could find over the past week and the more I read the more confused I get. It seems there are varying opinions as to proper humidity and temperature. The biggest issue I am having now is how do I keep the basking area at 90 but still keep the other end of the tank between 75-80. I am using a ZooMed 75 watt red basking bulb in a 5.5" reflector but with that I cannot get the "cool" side of the tank below 82, I think because I have to raise it a ways above the tank so the heat beam is spreading out too far. I tried going down to a 50 watt bulb but couldn't get the basking side above 85. I do have a moist hide on both the warm and cool side of the tank but would really like to be able to get the cool side temp between the recommended 75-80. i would certainly appreciate any suggestions. Thank you!

 

[TigressSnow]

Heat bulbs aren't the best heating source for Leo's for both that reason and that they need belly heat, a heat pad is inexpensive and should cover a third. Of the tank bottom, and be attached to a rheostat or thermostat. How are you measuring your temperatures? A probe thermometer or heat gun is best, the dial thermometers can be fatally off. Send us a photo of the little Leo! I myself have 34 leopard geckos. They get addictive! welcome to GF!

 

[PanJaster]

Heat pads are top for leos, no other heat source for vivariums can be more suitable for them. I also use bulbs, but only to raise temperatures a bit during the day, when leos are hidden. I also have a lot of natural stones and tiles in my setup, so it accumulates temperature when heat bulb is on and release a bit of heat later in the evening / night, when leos come out of their little houses. Thermostat is also a must, if you do not want to bake your leos, I have mine set to 29 C (84,2 F), controlling only a heat pad, so when bulb is on, mat is off and rocks gets warmed by heat from bulb. In my setup with 60 W bulb about 25 cm (9,27/32 inches) above viv surface makes temperatures about 35 - 36 C (95 - 96,8 F) for few hours a day & geckos pretty like that. But heat bulbs are only good as a secondary heat source to make day - night gradient for your leos.

 

[DebbieL]

Heat pads are top for leos, no other heat source for vivariums can be more suitable for them. I also use bulbs, but only to raise temperatures a bit during the day, when leos are hidden. I also have a lot of natural stones and tiles in my setup, so it accumulates temperature when heat bulb is on and release a bit of heat later in the evening / night, when leos come out of their little houses. Thermostat is also a must, if you do not want to bake your leos, I have mine set to 29 C (84,2 F), controlling only a heat pad, so when bulb is on, mat is off and rocks gets warmed by heat from bulb. In my setup with 60 W bulb about 25 cm (9,27/32 inches) above viv surface makes temperatures about 35 - 36 C (95 - 96,8 F) for few hours a day & geckos pretty like that. But heat bulbs are only good as a secondary heat source to make day - night gradient for your leos.

Thank you so much for resounding. I have a heat pad and a thermostat arriving tomorrow but I thought if only using belly heat I was supposed to set the heat pad between 88 and 90 but you say yours is only set for 84.2. So you only turn on overhead lights for a few hours a day to keep the warm side 95-96 F? I am so confused. I thought the basking spot was supposed to be 88-90 all day. This temp thing is confusing.

 

[DebbieL]

Heat bulbs aren't the best heating source for Leo's for both that reason and that they need belly heat, a heat pad is inexpensive and should cover a third. Of the tank bottom, and be attached to a rheostat or thermostat. How are you measuring your temperatures? A probe thermometer or heat gun is best, the dial thermometers can be fatally off. Send us a photo of the little Leo! I myself have 34 leopard geckos. They get addictive! welcome to GF!

Thank you so much for responding. I have so much to learn. I have a heat pat and thermostat arriving tomorrow. I am using a digital thermometer with probe to measure the temp. What temp should I set for the heat pad? Do I also use a heat lamp to warm the large rocks so he can bask on them? Any recommendations on a great heat gun? I can't believe you have so many geckos! I got my little guy supposedly for my grandson who is 6 but I keep him at my house and I just love him!

I'm sure I'll have more questions but this is a good start. Thanks again!

 

[TigressSnow]

What a beautiful leo! Great to hear that you have a probe thermometer and that you have the heat mat and thermostat coming! I use heat cable for my Leo's as I have them on a breeding rack, and they seem most active and happy when I get a reading of 88ferenheit with my temp gun (just as accurate as a probe for comparison ) you don't necessarily need a heat gun, it gives instant surface temps and I use it since I have so many animals (total 62 reptiles in the house, I breed them ) and it's more convenient to walk around snapping the heat in each enclosure instead of having so many digital probe thermometers! It's truly up to you if you want to use a bulb as well, I know my baby Clemo has a bulb only (we got him from a family who was no longer interested in him, he is 3 years old and adjusted to it so well we didn't want to risk it) he has a rock hide directly under the heat lamp that he will come out after the light is off (I still only use a red bulb to not stress him out) he comes out and pancakes on the rock in the warmest spot (89 ferenheit) til content. Geckos truly are addicting and amazing pets. I have a year old daughter and she will gently pet my calmer geckos on the head and she gets so excited to see them. Geckos have such a calm temperament and are such sweeties! My first gecko, Yuga, is quite a skittish boy but once I have him out and nothing near to startle him he's calm and loves cuddles. I am so rambling an I apologize! Before I finish off tough I will give you some good tips that work great for all my geckos. They have a dish with calcium only (no d3) in their tank or tub 24/7 (you may not think they'd ever use it but numerous occassions I see them lappin it up!) you can use a bottle cap for this as it works best , all my geckos have a humid hide with (for hatchlings) paper towel dampened or (for adults) Eco earth (those funky bricks that expand) in a small storage bin (around 4x6 inches) with a hole cut just big enough for them in the top. They spend their days in there and shedding is a breeze for them all. A shallow water dish or small bowl is great to have, some of my geckos use it and some may but I don't see them, they generally get all hydration from their food I think that is finally all, I'm sorry for droning on! I hope this helps. Enjoy the precious cute faces that geckos have!

 

[PanJaster]

Thank you so much for resounding. I have a heat pad and a thermostat arriving tomorrow but I thought if only using belly heat I was supposed to set the heat pad between 88 and 90 but you say yours is only set for 84.2. So you only turn on overhead lights for a few hours a day to keep the warm side 95-96 F? I am so confused. I thought the basking spot was supposed to be 88-90 all day. This temp thing is confusing.

Yes, I turn on lights ony for few hours to make temperature raise. Heat bulb will not make your setup warm in a second, it takes about a half a hour to raise the tamp and when it is off, temperature lowers slowly for about 2-3 hours thanks to stones in my setup. Temperature as high as 88-90 F all day is, in my opinion, useless for geckos. Mine got pretty addicted to raising and lowering temps like that, when they are well fed, they will sleep in hotter hides, when they just did not eat that much, they will find a bit colder hide for the day. In the evening, all geckos leave their hideouts, looks for food and greets me with smiles But you should also look for more threads where temps are more discussed.

 

[DebbieL]

What a beautiful leo! Great to hear that you have a probe thermometer and that you have the heat mat and thermostat coming! I use heat cable for my Leo's as I have them on a breeding rack, and they seem most active and happy when I get a reading of 88ferenheit with my temp gun (just as accurate as a probe for comparison ) you don't necessarily need a heat gun, it gives instant surface temps and I use it since I have so many animals (total 62 reptiles in the house, I breed them ) and it's more convenient to walk around snapping the heat in each enclosure instead of having so many digital probe thermometers! It's truly up to you if you want to use a bulb as well, I know my baby Clemo has a bulb only (we got him from a family who was no longer interested in him, he is 3 years old and adjusted to it so well we didn't want to risk it) he has a rock hide directly under the heat lamp that he will come out after the light is off (I still only use a red bulb to not stress him out) he comes out and pancakes on the rock in the warmest spot (89 ferenheit) til content. Geckos truly are addicting and amazing pets. I have a year old daughter and she will gently pet my calmer geckos on the head and she gets so excited to see them. Geckos have such a calm temperament and are such sweeties! My first gecko, Yuga, is quite a skittish boy but once I have him out and nothing near to startle him he's calm and loves cuddles. I am so rambling an I apologize! Before I finish off tough I will give you some good tips that work great for all my geckos. They have a dish with calcium only (no d3) in their tank or tub 24/7 (you may not think they'd ever use it but numerous occassions I see them lappin it up!) you can use a bottle cap for this as it works best , all my geckos have a humid hide with (for hatchlings) paper towel dampened or (for adults) Eco earth (those funky bricks that expand) in a small storage bin (around 4x6 inches) with a hole cut just big enough for them in the top. They spend their days in there and shedding is a breeze for them all. A shallow water dish or small bowl is great to have, some of my geckos use it and some may but I don't see them, they generally get all hydration from their food I think that is finally all, I'm sorry for droning on! I hope this helps. Enjoy the precious cute faces that geckos have!

Thank you soooo much! I loved reading everything you said. I need as much advice as I can get. My leo is just starting to walk across my hand if I keep it very still in his tank. I'm going to need to clean his cage within a few weeks and I'm worried that he's not going to let me pick him up. I'm afraid if he gets frightened when I pick him up that he will drop his tail. I will totally freak out if he does! Can't believe you have so many leos! Just this one is stressing me out because I'm so worried I"m going to do something wrong and he's going to die. I always worry about my animals like crazy. Lol!

Thanks again!
Debbie